“In my life long study of human beings, I have found that no matter how hard they try, they have found no way yet to prevent the arrival of Monday morning. And they do try, of course, but Monday always comes..." ― Jeff Lindsay, Dexter in the Dark

Whether you find yourself, today, in an office desperately trying to catch up on emails, working through the piles of laundry your family wore through this busy weekend past, or, like we are, spending the day catching up on gardening and farming chores that went neglected, we likely all have one thing in common--we need a healthy meal that takes little trouble and time, but nourishes us well, in order to tackle Monday, with all its demands. Low fat, low calorie, and low maintenance are among the list of desires this hearty and wholesome meatless meal meets, boasting high fiber, beta carotene, and whole grains, as well. All this, with preparation, and munching all out of its own handy fresh shell--it is one powerhouse of a Manic Monday's personal assistant.

bean and barley stuffed acorn squash with ricotta
serves 6, as entree, or 6-12 as a side

Leftover filling? We've got that covered. Later this week we make this meal do double duty. With just a few turns of the wrist, make a fresh and filling marinated salad that we love to snack on around here, all week long.

We worked it pretty hard yesterday...basically grunted in each other's directions as sweat poured off of us. Tom graciously offered his sleeve for me to blot my face upon, and he pulled away with what looked like the Shroud of Turin on his shirt. It was HOT out there. (Thank you for stopping by!)